As Strout entered the store he said to himself, “Bully for her. She don't bow down to money. She's got brains.” A few days later, however, Miss Dixie Schaffer was the recipient from the Hon. Nathaniel Adams Sawyer of a beautiful gold pendant in the shape of a horseshoe, set with pearls. If one could have glanced at a stub in the lawyer's check book, he would have found the name of a prominent jeweller, and the figures $300. It is needless to add that the gift was not returned to the donor. When Alice saw that Maude had escaped without injury, she soon recovered her equanimity. “How did it happen, Maude?” asked Quincy. “Alice says you gave the horse a sharp blow.” “I must have hit her harder than I intended--but I was thinking of the race more than of her. Didn't she run, hurrah-ti-cut, as Mrs. Hawkins says? I was bound I'd keep on her back unless she fell down or ran into something, and I did. I wasn't foolish enough to jump and land on my head. “When we got to the main road, I didn't know which way to turn--I mean I couldn't think. She settled the matter by turning to the right, which was very fortunate, but I didn't know I was on the road to Dixie.” “Maude, you're incorrigible,” laughed Alice. “No, I'm a sensation. I was full of them as I dashed on. But she was a well-bred horse and kept in the middle of the road. Then, to my joy, I saw Dixie ahead. As I went by her I yelled--yes, yelled--'she's running away.' “Dixie yelled--yes, yelled--'Hold on, I'll catch you.' She did, but we ran more than a mile before she got even with me, grasped my horse's bridle, and pulled her round so quickly that I came near landing in the bushes. And here I am.” “You must not ride her again,” said Alice. “That's just what I am going to do. I'm not going to deprive that horse of my company, when it was all my fault. No more whip, she needs only the voice--and little of that.” “Alice,” said Quincy, “Mr. Strout has invited us to dinner. He will be offended unless his invitation is accepted.” “I don't feel equal to meeting that man in his own house. I cannot bear him even at long range. Take Maude.” “I'll go, Quincy. I love these odd characters.” “He's married and has a little boy,” said Alice. “Then my love for the father will be invisible--I'll shower my affection upon his offspring.” Quincy, after introducing his sister to Mr. Strout and his wife, expressed his regret that his wife was so unnerved by the runaway that she was unable to accompany him. Mr. Strout, in turn, expressed his regrets, as did Mrs. Strout, then he added: “Miss Sawyer, we'll have to pay you a commission. The store has been full of folks asking about you, and after I told them all about the runaway and how you were rescued, they had to talk it over, and I sold more than forty cigars and ten plugs of tobacco.” “How did you know how I was rescued?” asked Maude. “Well, I heard part and imagined the rest. I had to tell 'em something or lose the trade.”